chagrin
chagrin Lexical Profile
chagrin Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A feeling of distress, embarrassment, or annoyance caused by failure, disappointment, or humiliation.
"Much to her chagrin, the outdoor concert was canceled just as she arrived at the venue."
• verb
To cause someone to feel distressed, humiliated, or disappointed (usually used in the passive voice).
"The seasoned architect was deeply chagrined when the city council rejected his proposal without review."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a noun, 'chagrin' is most commonly encountered in the prepositional phrase 'to the chagrin of [someone]' or 'much to [one's] chagrin.' As a verb, it is almost exclusively used in the passive voice ('he was chagrined to discover...').
• Rhymes for chagrin
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-17th century from French 'chagrin' (melancholy, anxiety, or rough leather), likely related to 'shagreen' (rough untanned skin), which became a metaphor for harsh, grating vexation.